Live alligator found lurking in suburban NY waterway as msytery remains where it came from

See you later, alligator!

Rockland County police fished a live alligator out of a small creek as a mystery remains over how the reptile got there.

Haverstraw Police Department said in a Facebook post the “juvenile” gator was found in the Minisceongo Creek Thursday — which sparked immediate confusion from some commenters.


Rockland County police fished a live alligator out of a small creek
Rockland County police fished a live alligator out of a small creek. Warerstraw Police Department/Facebook

“I have so many questions lol,” one person said.

“People need to stop getting them as pets,” said another, one of many who speculated the animal was a pet someone had set loose into the frigid local waterway.

In a Facebook post, the Hudson Valley Humane Society thanked Haverstraw cops for their timely response.

“Their quick-thinking and professionalism helped to get this juvenile alligator to safety at the Hudson Valley Humane Society,” the post said. “Currently this gator is warming up from the cold water.”

The gator was saved before noon on Thursday and then cops discharged the alligator to Humane Society personnel to care for him.


an alligator in the creek
The “juvenile” gator was found in the Minisceongo Creek Thursday. Warerstraw Police Department/Facebook

The alligator, which has been identified by a Bronx Zoo herpetologist as a male of the species, is said to be in good health. As of now, it is still unclear how the alligator, which is not native to upstate New York, made its way into the creek.

On Friday, the Hudson Humane Society posted on their Facebook page that the alligator — nicknamed Philippe — was transferred to live at M​ark Perpetua’s Reptile Encounters in Saugerties, New York.

Phillippe the alligator avoided the fate predicted by one snarky commenter.

“Hudson’s Mill dinner specials this weekend includes gator bites,” the commenter said.

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